Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching.  They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck (Proverbs 1:8-9).

I was recently talking with a friend of mine about inheritances, wills, and family heirlooms.  We were noticing that there often seems to be an unfortunate dynamic in situations involving a death in the family, where one (or more) member(s) of the family will turn the execution of the estate into a game of Monopoly.  They'll push for liquidation of all family assets to allow for easier cash distribution -- even if this means auctioning off Grandma's wedding ring or the farmland that's been in the family for generations.  Or they'll just take whatever they find lying around and pocket it, saying, "Um, yeah -- that's, uh, something that Dad promised he wanted me to have; yeah, that's right... he specifically mentioned that he wanted me to have it," if ever questioned.  They'll lie and cheat and scheme and squeeze every red cent from an estate -- regardless of how it affects others in the family, regardless of how it might dishonor the memory of the family member who recently passed away, and sometimes even regardless of what might be specifically stated in the will!  All because people will grasp at just about anything to make up for a (real or perceived) sense of loss.  Fighting for these family treasures and heirlooms can bring out an astonishing sense of desperation at times because the material things become symbols for the deeper family issues.

In such situations, I wonder if people are really fighting for (perhaps subconsciously) the "father's instruction" or the "mother's teaching," which they didn't fully receive or appreciate in life.  Maybe they didn't listen to -- or they deliberately forsook -- the wisdom of their parents; and yet, they instinctively understand that these intangibles were meant to be the garland to grace their heads and the chains to adorn their necks.  Thus, the captain's hat that Grandpa wore in the Second World War becomes a substitute for his instruction; Mom's pearl necklace becomes a substitute for her teaching.  We scramble for material things once the life lessons are no longer available, but even so we find ourselves lacking.

Isn't this a great reminder to cherish the wisdom of our parents and grandparents?!?  The time is short, and we can only enjoy these opportunities for so long.  Let's not forget that the teaching and instruction of our parents and grandparents is one of the greatest family heirlooms that we could ever ask for.